A SERMON PREACHED BEfore the King's Majesty at White-Hall, On Monday the 25. of December, Being Christmas day, ANNO 1609. ¶ By the Bishop of Elie His majesties Almoner. ¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. A SERMON PREACHED BEfore the King's Majesty at Whitehall, on Christmas day. ANNO 1609. GALAT. 4. verse. 4, 5. When the fullness of time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law. That, He might redeem, them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of sons. IF when the fullness of time cometh, God sent his Son: then, When God sent his Son, is the fullness of time come. And as this day, God sent his Son. This day therefore, (so oft as by the revolution of the year it cometh about) is to us a yearly representation of the fullness of time. So it is: and a special honour it is to the Feast, that so it is. And we ourselves seem so to esteem of it. For we allow for every month a day, (Look how many months so many days) to this Feast; as if it were, and we so thought it to be, the full recapitulation of the whole year. This honour it hath, from Christ, who is the substance of this, and all other Solemnities. Peculiarly, â Christi missá, from Christ's sending. (For, they that read the ancient writers of the Latin Church, Tertullian, & Cyprian know that Missa, and Missio, & Remissa and Remissio, with them are taken for one. So that Christi missa, is the sending of Christ) And when then hath this Text place so fit, as Now? Or what time so seasonable to entreat of it, as This? Of the sending of his Son; as, when God sent his Son: Of the fullness of time; as, on the yearly return and memorial of it. To entreat of it then. The Heads are two● 1. Of the fullness of time. 2. And of that, wherewith it is filled. 1. Time's fullness, in these, when the fullness of time came. 2 Times filling in the rest, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, etc. In the former, (Quando venit plenitudo temporis,) there be four points. 1. Plenitudo temporis, That, time hath a fullness; or, that there is a fullness of time. 2. Venit plenitudo. That, that fullness cometh, by steps and degrees, not all a● once. 3. Quando venit. That, it hath a Quando, (That is,) there is a time, when time thus cometh to this fullness. 4. And, when that When is? And that is, When God sent his Son. And so pass we over to the other part, in the same Verse, Mi●it Deus; God sent his Son. For the other part, (touching the filling of time.) There be Texts, the right way to consider of them, is to take them in pieces. And this is of that kind. And if we take it in sunder, we shall see; as it is of fullness, so a kind of fullness there is in it: every word, more full than other: every word, a step in it, whereby it riseth still higher, till by seven several degree● it cometh to the top, and so the measure is full. 1. God sent, the first. 2. Sent his Son, the second. 3. His Son made, the third. 4. And that twice made, made of a woman the fourth. 5. Made under the Law, the fifth, every one fuller than other, still. And all this, for some persons, and some purpose. The persons, Vt nos, that we. The purpose, ●eciperemus, that we might receive. Nay, (if you mark it) there be two Vts, ut ille, ut nos, that He might, and, that we might. He might redeem: ●●d we might receive, that is, He, pay for it, ●nd, we reap the benefit. 6. A double benefit, of Redemption first from the state of persons cast and condemned, under the Law, which is the sixth. 7 And then, of translation into the state of adopted children of God, which is the seventh; & the very filling up of the measure. All which, we may reduce to a double fullness. Gods, as much as He can send. Ours, as much as we can desire. Gods, in the five first. 1. God sent. 2. Sent his Son. 3. His Son made. 4 Made of a Woman. 5. Made under the Law. And Ours in the two latter, 6. We are redeemed, the sixth 7. We receive adoption, the seventh. In that of Gods, every point is full; The thing sent, full. The sending, and the manner of sending full. The making, and the two manners of making Of a woman, and, under the Law, both full. And our fullness in the two latter, the effects of these two Acts, or make of a woman under th● Law, Redemption, and Adoption, which mak● up all. That, when we were strangers from th● Adoption; and not that only, but lay under th● Law, as men whom sentence had passed on From this latter, we are redeemed, (He vnd●● the Law, that we from under the Law) Tha● (being so redeemed) we might further recei●● the adoption of children, (and as He the Son●● of man: So we might be made the sons of God.) Which two are as much as we can wish. And this is Our fullness. And to these, I will crave leave to add another fullness o● Ours, rising out of these, and to make a motion, for it. That, as it is the time, when we from God, receive the fulness● ●f his bounty: so it might be the time also, when He from us, may likewise receive the fullness of our duty. The time, of His Bounty fullness, and the time, of our Thankfulness: That it may be Plenitudo temporis, quà ad illum, quà ad nos; downward, and upward; from Him to us, and from us to Him again: and so be both ways, The fullness of time. Quando venit plenitudo temporis. FIRST, there is a fullness in Time. The term, 1 Plenitudo tempor●● Fullness, carrieth our conceit to measure strait, from whence it is borrowed: which, is then said to be full, when it hath as much, Sap. 11.17. as it can hold. Now, God hath made all things in measure: and if all things, than Time. Eph. 4.13. Yea, Time itself is by the Apostle called, Mensura temporis, The measure of time. As then, all other measures have theirs; so the measure of Time also hath his fullness, when it receiveth so much, as the capacity will contain no more. So, Time is a measure: it hath a capacity: that hath a fullness. That, there is such a thing as, as the fullness of time. 2 Venit pleni●udo. B●●, nothing is full at first: no more is Time by and by. Venit plenitudo, it cometh, not at once, or straightways, but by steps and paces, nearer and nearer: Fills, first a quarter, and then half, till at last it come to the brim. And degrees there be, Alcuin. by which it cometh. Ecce palmares posuisti dies meos, Psal. 39.6. From which word palmares, it is an observation of one of the Fathers, a man may read his time. In his own hand, visibly there is an ascent, the fingers rise still, till they come to the top of the middle finger; and when they be come thither● down again by like descent, till they come to the little, which is the lowest of all: So is i● in our time; It riseth still by degrees, till we com● to the full pitch of our Age, and then declinet● again, till we grow to the lower end of ou● days. But, howsoever it may be (as it oft falle● out) the descent is sudden, we go down headlong without degrees, go away in a mo●ment; yet, ever this holdeth, to our fullness we come not, but by degrees. Now thirdly, 3 Quando venit. this coming hath a Quando venit, a time, when it cometh thither. As a time there is a great while, joh. 7.6. when we may say, Nondum venit hora, the time is not yet come, while the measure is yet but in filling: So at the last, a time too, that we may say, joh. 12.23. Venit hora, the time is now come, when the measure is full: That is, A time there is, when time cometh to the full: As in the day, when the Sun cometh to the Meridian Line: in the month, when it cometh to the point of opposition with the Moon: in the year, when to the Solstice: In man, when he cometh to his full years: for that is the fullness of time the Apostle allegeth, in the three verses before. And, when is that When, that time thus cometh to his fullness? Quando misit Deus, 4 Quando. when God sends it: for, Time receives his filling from God. Of itself, time is but an empty measure, hath nothing in it: Many days and months ●unne over our heads, Dies inanes, saith the Psalmist. Menses vacui, saith job: Empty days, Psal. 78.33. Void months, without any thing to fill them, job 7.3. That which filleth time, is some memorable thing of Gods pouring into it, or (as it is in the Text) of his sending, to fill it withal. Mi●it Deus is it: and so cometh Time to be more or less full; thereafter as that is, which God sends to fill it. Now, many memorable mission's did God make before this here; whereby in some measure, he filled up certain times of the year under Moses, and the Prophets: all which, may well be termed, The implements of Time. But, for all them, the measure was not yet full●filled perhaps to a certain degree, but not full to the brim: full it was not (seeing it might be still fuller) till God sent That, than which, ● more full could not be sent. And, That He sent, when He sent his Son, a fuller then whom, He could not send, nor Time could not receive. Therefore, with the sending Him, when that was, Time was at the top, that was the Quando venit, than it was plenitude temporis, indeed. And, well might that Time, be called the fullness of Time. For when he was sent into the world, Col. 2.9. joh. 3.34. in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwel● bodily: In whom the Spirit was not by measure● In whom was the fullness of grace and truth. joh. 1.14. joh. 1.16. Of whose fullness we all receive, when He was sent, that was thus full, then was Time at the full. And well also might it be called the fullness of Time, in another regard. For, till then all was but in promise, in shadows, and figures, and prophecies only, which fill not, God knows. But when the performance of those promises, the body of those shadows, the substance of those figures, the fulfilling or filling full of all those Prophecies came, then came the fullness of Time, truly so called. Till then, it came not: than it came. And well might it be called the fullness of time, in a third respect. For, then the Heir, (that is the world) was come to his full age: and so, that the fittest time, for him to be sent. For to that, compareth the Apostle their estate then; that, the former times under Moses and the Prophets were as the Nonage of the world; sub Paedagogo, in the 3. Chapter, ver. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, at their A.B.C. or rudiments, (as in the very last words before these) Their estate then, as of Children in their minority, little differing from servants. For, all this while, nondum venit, the fullness of time was not yet come. But a time there was, as for man; so for mankind to come to his full years: That time, came with Christ's coming, and Christ's coming with it, and never till then, was the fullness of time; but than it was. And let this be enough, for this point; more there is not in the Text. But if any shall further ask, why then, at that age of the world, the world was at his full age, just then, and neither sooner nor later? I know, many heads have been full of devices, to satisfy men's curiosity in that point. But, I hold it safest,, to rest with the Apostle (in the second verse) on God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Let that content us. Then was the time, for that was Tempus praefinitum á Patre, the time appointed of the Father. For, even among men, (though the Father being dead) the Law setteth a time, for the Son to come to his heritage: yet the Father living, no time can be prefixed, but only when it liketh Him to appoint; and the Father here liveth; Acts 1.7. and therefore let his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stay us. The times and seasons, He hath put in his own power, it is not for us to know them. This is for us to know, that, with his appointment, we● must come to a full point. So doth the Apostles ● and so let us, & not busy ourselves much with it Time is but the measure or cask, that wherewith it is filled, doth more concern us. To that therefore let us come. The degrees are seven (as I said.) To take them, as they rise. Misit Deus. God sent. God sent. That standeth first; and, at it, let our first stay be. That, will fall out, to make the first degree. For, even this, that God sent at all, Ipsum mittere Dei, this very sending itself, is a degree. It is so; and so we would reckon of it, if we knew the Sender, and who he is; the Majesty of his presence how great it is, & how glorious, how far surpassing all we can see on earth. For Him, for such an one as He, to condescend, but to send; is sure a degree. For, enough it had been, and more then enough, for Him, to be sent to; and not to send, Himself. To have sit still, and been content, that we might send to him, and have our message and petition admitted, and not, he send to us. That had been as much as we could ●ooke for, and well, if we might have e'en vouchsafed but that. But it was he that sent, not we to him first, nay, not we to him at ●ll, but, he to us. He to us? And what were we, that He to us? Us, Ephes. 2.12. (as elsewhere he termeth us) mere Aliens from Him, and His Household; Not that only, but Us, in case of men, whom the Law had passed upon. (So is our estate described in the end of the Text:) for Him, to send to Us, so great as He, to such as we; to think us, tanti, so much worth, as to make any mission, or motion, or to disease any about us; This, may well be the first. Be it then so; that to us, or for us, or concerning us, God would trouble himself, to make any sending. A fullness, there is in this. Full he was; a fullness there was in him, (even the fullness of compassion in His bowels over our estate,) else such a Sender, would never once have sent. His Son. God sent; Sent, and sent his Son. That, (I make no question,) will bear a second. Other● He might have sent; and whosoever it had been He had sent, it might well have served ou● turns. If, sent by the hand of any his Servants, any Patriarch, Prophet, any ordinary messenger, it had been enough. So hitherto had been his Sending. So, and no otherwise● ever till now. Then, if to send by any may seem sufficienty to send his Son, must needs seem full. For● ever the more excellent the Person sent● the more honourable the sending: the greater He, the fuller it. Now, greater there is not, than his son, Colos. 2.9. His first, His only begotten Son, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelled; In sending him, He sent the greatest, the best, the fullest thing He had. To heap the measure up yet more, with the cause of his sending, in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; It was voluntary. He sent him not for need: but for mere love to us, and nothing else. There was no absolute necessity, that He should have sent him. He might have done what He intended by the means and ministery of some beside. God could have enabled a Creature; a Creature enabled by God, and the power of his might, could soon have troad down Satan under our feet. But, if it had been any other He had sent, his love and regard to us, had not showed so full. It had been ostendit Deus charitatem, but not, Ecce quantam charitatem ostendit Deus. 1. john. 3.1 Whomsoever He had sent beside, his love had not been full, at least not so full, as it should have been, if He had sent his Son. That therefore it might be full, and so appear to us for full, Misit Deus filium suum. Enough it was, in compassion of our estate, to have relieved us, by any: Men that are in need to be relieved, care not, who they be that do it. Enough then for compassion: but not enough, to manifest the fullness of his love, unless to relieve us, He se● his own Son. Made. This is full, one would think: Yet, the Manner of his sending him, is fuller still. Misi● Flium; Filium factum. Sent his Son; His Son made. Sent Him, and sent Him made. This is a third. For, if He would have sent Him, He should not have sen● Him, made: but as He was, neither made 〈◊〉 created, but like himself, in his own estate, as was meet for the Son of God, to be sent. To make Him any thing, is to mar●● Him, be it what it will be. To send Hi● made, is to send him marred, and no better. Therefore, I make not doubt, Christ's sending is one degree, His making is another: So 〈◊〉 send, as withal to make, are two distinct measures, of this filling. As He is, He is a Maker, a Creator: If God make Him any things He must be a thing made, a Creature; and that is a great disparagement. So that, howsoever the Time is the fuller, for this; He is th● emptier: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The fullness of Time, is his emptiness; The exalting of that, his abasing. And, Phil. 2.7. this very Exinanivit seipsum, emptying Himself, for our sake, is a pressing down the measure: and so, even by that, still the measure is more full. Yea, the very manner of this making, hath his increase too, addeth to it stil. In the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not every making, but making it his nature. To have made Him a body, and taken it upon him for a time, till He had performed his Embassage, and then laid it off again, that, had been much: But so to be made, as once made and ever made: so to take it, as never lay it of more, but, continue so still, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it to become his very nature; so to be made, is to be made indeed, so to to be made is to make the union full. And to make the union with us full, He was content, not to be sent alone, but to be made, and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be made so, as never unmade more. Our manhood becoming his nature, no less than the Godhead itself: This is Filium factum indeed. Made, and twice made, (for so it is in the verse) factum ex, and factum sub, made of and made under. Of a woman; under, the Law. So two make there be, either of them of itself, a filling to the measure, but, both of them, maketh it perfectly full. Made of a woman. Made, first of a woman: that, I take clearly ●o be one. For, it He, if the Son of God must be made a Creature; it were meet, He should be made, the best creature of all. And if made of any thing, (if any one thing, better than another) of that: made some glorious Spirit, Some of the orders of the Angels. john 1.14. Nay, made, but made no Spirit, Heb. 2.16. Verbum caro factum est, The word became flesh: made, but made no Angel● Nusquam Angelos: He in no wise took the Angel's nature upon Him. But made man, First I will ask with David, Domine, ●sal. 144.3. quid est homo? Lord, what is man? And then, tell you his answer: Homo quasi res nihili. Man is like a thing of nought. And this he was made, this he became, made man, made of a woman; did not abhor the Virgin● womb, (as we sing daily, to the high praise o● the fullness of his humility, to which his Lou● brought Him for our sakes.) For, whatsoever else He had been made, it would have done us no good. In this then, was the fullness of his Loue● as before of his Fathers, that He would be made, and was made, not what was fittest for Him, but what was best, for us: not, what was most for his glory, but what was most, for our benefit and behoof. Made of a woman. For man He might have been made, and yet have had a body framed for Him in heaven, and not made of a woman. But when he saith, Factum ex muliere, it is evident, He passed not through Her, as water through a Conduit Pipe, (as, fond dreameth the Anabaptist.) Made of, Factum ex: Ex, dicit materiam. Made of her; She ministered the matter, Flesh of her flesh. Gen. 3.15. Semen mulieris. The seed, and Semen intimum substantiae, that is the principal and very inward chief part of the substance. Made of that, made of her very substance. And so have we here now in one, both twain his Natures. God sent his Son, There his Divine: made of a woman, here his human Nature, That, from the bosom of his Father, before all worlds: this, from the womb of his mother, in the world. So that, as from eternity, God his Father might say, that verse of the Psalm. Psal. 2.7. Filius meus es tu, hody genui te: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. So, in the fullness of time, might the Virgin his mother, no less truly say, Filius meus es tu, hody peperite: Thou art my Son, this day have I brought thee into the world. And here now, at this word, made of a woman, He beginneth to concern us somewhat. There groweth an alliance between us: For we also are made of a woman. And our hope is, as, He will not be confounded, to be counted inte●●natos mulierum: Heb. 2.11. No more will He be, (saith the Apostle) to say in medio fratrum; Rom. 8.29. to acknowledge us, his Brethren. And so by this Time H● groweth, somewhat near us. Made under the Law. This now, is full for the union with our nature, to be made of a woman. But so to be made 〈◊〉 a woman, without He be also made under th● Law, is not near enough yet. For, if he be out 〈◊〉 the compass of the Law, that the Law canno● take hold of Him, factum ex muliere will do 〈◊〉 small pleasure. And He was so borne, so made 〈◊〉 a woman: As the verity, of His conception, is 〈◊〉 this factum ex muliere: So, the purity, is in thi● that it is but ex muliere, and no more; Of th● virgin alone, by the power of the Holy Ghos● without mixture of fleshly generation. B● virtue whereof, no original soil was i● Him; 1. Tim. 1.9. Just borne He was, and justo non 〈◊〉 lex posita, No law for the Just, no law could touch him. And so we, never the better, for factum ex muliere. For, if one be in debt and danger of the Law, to have a Brother, of the same blood, made of the same woman, both (as we say) lying in one belly; will little avail him, except He will also come under the Law, that is, become his Surety, and undertake for him. And such was our estate. As debtor we were, Col. 2.14. by virtue of Chirographum contra nos, The hand writing that was against us. Which was our Bond, and we had forfeited it. And so, factus ex muliere, to us, without factus sub lege, would have been to small purpose. No remedy therefore, He must be new made, made again once more. And so He was, cast in a new mould, and at his second making, made under the Law, under which if He had not been made, we had been marred: even quite undone for ever, if this had not been done for us too. Therefore, He became bound for us also, entered Bond anew, took on Him, not only our nature, but our Debt; our Nature, and Condition both Nature, as men: Condition, as sinful men; expressed in the words following; [Them that were under the law] for that was our Condition. There had indeed been no captivity in him, to do this, if the former had not gone before, factum ex muliere; if He had not been, as we, made of a woman, but the former was for this; Made of a woman He was, that he might be mad● under the law: Being ex muliere, He might the● become sub lege, which before He could not, but then he might and did: And so, this still is the fuller. And when did He this? when was He mad● under the law? Gal. 5.3. Even then, when he was circumcised. For this doth S. Paul testify, in the third of the next Chapter, Behold, I Paul testify unto you, whosoever is circumcised, factus est debitor universae legis. He becomes a debtor to the whole law. At His Circumcision then, He entered Bond anew with us, & in sign that so H● did, He shed then a few drops of his blood whereby He signed the Bond (as it were) and gave those few drops then, tanquan arrham universi sanguinis effundendi, as a pledge or earnest, that when the fullness of time came, He would be ready to shed all the rest, as He did For, I would not have you mistake, though we speak of this, sub lege, being under the law, in the terms of a Debt sometimes: yet, the truth is, this debt of ours was no money debt, we were not sub lege pecuniariâ, but Capitali: and the debt of a Capital law, is death: and under that, under Death He went, and that the worst death law had to inflict, even the Death of the Cross, the most bitter, reproachful, cursed death of the Crosse. So that upon the matter, factus sub lege, and factus in Cruse, come both to one; one amounts to as much, as the other. Well, this He did undertake for us, at His Circumcision: and therefore then, and not till then, He had his n●me given him, Luke. 2.21. the name of jesus a Saviour. ●●r then, took He on him the Obligation to save us. And look, what then at his Circumcision He undertook, at his Passion he paid, even to the full, Col. 2.14. and having paid it, delevit Chirographum, canceled the sentence of the law, that till then, was of record, and stood in full force against us. Howbeit all this, was but one part of the law, But He was made sub lege universâ, under the whole law, and that, not by his death only, but by his life too. The one half of the law, (that is, the Directive part) He was made under that, and satisfied it, by the innocency of his life, without breaking so much, as one jot or title of the law: and so, answered that part (as it might be, the Principal.) The other half of the law, which is the Penalty, He was under that part also, and satisfied it, by suffering a wrongful death, no way deserved, or due by him, and so answered that (as it might be the forfeiture. ● So, He was made under both, under the whol● law. Satisfying the Principal, there was no reason, He should be liable to the forfeiture, an● penalty: yet, vener that He was also. And al● 〈◊〉 the whole law might be satisfied fully, b● 〈◊〉 being under both parts, and so, no part 〈◊〉 it light upon us. These two then, 1 Made of a woman. 〈◊〉 Made under the law, ye see, are two several 〈◊〉 kings, and both very requisite. Therefore, E●●ther hath a several Feast, they divide this S●●lemnitie between them. Six days a piece, 〈◊〉 Either; as the several moieties of this fullness 〈◊〉 time. joh. 1.14. This day, Verbum caro factum, The Wo●● made flesh: That day, Him that knew no Sinn● He made Sin, 2. Cor. 5.21 (that is) made him undertake to be handled as a Sinner, to be under the la● and to endure what the law could lay vpo● Him. And so now, the thing sent is full: an● fully sent, because made: and fully made, because made once and twice over: fully made ours, because fully united to us: Made of a woman as well as we. Made under the Law as deep as we, Both ex muliere, and sub lege. So of our nature (of a woman,) that of our condition also (under the law:) So, fully united to us in nature, and condition both. 3. And so we are come, to the full measure of His sending. And, that we are come to the full, ye shall plainly see, Verse 5. by the overflowing, by that which we receive from this fullness, which is the latter part of the verse, and is our fullness, even the fullness, of all that we can desire. For, if we come now to ask, For whom, is all this ado This Sending, This making, over & over again? it is for us. So is the conclusion, ut nos, that we might from this fullness, receive the full of our wish. For in these two behind, Redemption, and Adoption; to be redeemed, and to be adopted, are the full of all, we can wish ourselves. The transcendent Division, of Good and Evil, is it, that comprehendeth all. And here it is. Our desire can extend itself no further then to be rid of all evil, and to attain all, that good is. By these two, (being redeemed, and being adopted) we are made partakers of them both. To be redeemed from under the law, is to be quit of all evil. To receive the Adoption of children, is to be stated in all that is Good. For, all Evil is in being under the law, from whence we are redeemed, and, all Good, in being invested, in the heavenly Inheritance, whereunto we are adopted. Thus stood the case with us: Eph●. 2.12. Aliens we● were from God His Covenant, and his kingdom: More than that, Prisoner's we were fast laid up under the Law. From this latter we are freed: of the former, we are Seized: And what would we more? Only, this you shall observe, that in th● Idiom of the Scriptures, it is usual; two point● being set down, when they are resumed again, to begin with the latter, and so end with the former. So is it here, At the first mad● of a woman, made under the Law. At the resuming, He begins with the latter, made vnde● the Law, That He might redeem them, tha● were under the Law. And then comes to th● former, made of a woman, made the Son o● man, That we by adoption might be made the Son● of God. But this we are to mark, it is He that i● at all the cost & pain: and we, that have the benefit by it. At the redeeming it is, v●●ille ● At the receiving it is, ut nos. Briefly of either: That he might redeem them that were under the Law. And first, of our Redeeming. Redeeming (as the word giveth it) is a second buying, or buying back of a thing, before aliened or sold. Ever, a former sale is presupposed before it. And such a thing there had gone before. A kind of alienation, had formerly been, whereby we had made away ourselves, (for a sale I cannot call it, it was for such a trifle) our nature aliened in Adam, for the forbidden fruit; a matter of no moment. Our Persons likewise, daily we ourselves alien them, for some trifling pleasure, or profit, matters not much more worth. And, when we have thus passed ourselves away, by this Selling ourselves under sin, Rom. 7.14. the Law seizeth on us, and under it we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 3.23. even locked up, as it were in a Dungeon, tied fast with the cords of our sins, Prou. 5.22: the sentence passed on us, and we waiting but for execution. What evil is there not, in this estate, and on every soul that is in it? Well then, the first ut, the first end is, To get us rid, from under this estate. He did it: not by way of entreaty, step in and beg our pardon: That would not serve; Sold we were, and bought we must be. A price must be laid down for us: To get us from under the Law, it was not a matter of Intercessions ● to sue ●or it, and have it. No, He must purchase it, and pay for it. It was a matter of Redemption. And, in Redemption or a Purchase, we look to the Price. For, if it be at any easy rate, it is so much the better. But with an high price, He Purchased us; it cost Him dear to bring it about● Non auro, nec argento. 1. Pet. 1.18 19 Neither of them woul● serve, at an higher rate it was, even pretioso sa●●guine. His precious blood, was the price, w● stood him in. Which he paid, when He ga●● his life a ransom for many. Mat. 20.28 It stood thus, between Him and us, in th● point of Redemption. here are certain mal● factors, under the Law, to suffer, to be execute● What say you to them? Why, I will become under the Law, suffer that they should, take v●●on me their execution, upon condition, the● may be quit: In effect so much, at his Pass●●● He said, Si ergo me quaeritis Io. 18.6. If youl● hold on me, if I must discharge all, Sinite 〈◊〉 abire, Let these go their way, Let the price pay be their Redemption: and so it was. And, so we come, to be redeemed from under the Law. And this is to be marked, that Them that were under the Law, and, We that are to receive, are but one, one and the same persons both: But being so redeemed, than we are ourselves. Till then, the Apostle speaks of us, in the third person, Them, that were under the Law, as of some strangers, as of men of another world, none of our own: But now being redeemed, the style changeth. He speaketh of us, in the first person ut nos, that we: for till now we were not our own, we were not ourselves, but now we are: till this, it was the old year still with us, but with the new year, cometh our new estate. Being thus redeemed, That we might receive the Adoption of Children we are got from under the Law: and that is much. Till a party come to be once under it, and feel the weight of it, he shall never understand this aright; but then he shall. And if any have been under it, he knows what it is, and how great a benefit to be got thence. But is this all? No, He leaves us not here; but to make the measure complete, yea, even to flow over, He gives us not over, when he had rid us out of this wretched estate, till He have brought us to an estate, as good, as He himself is in. After our Redemption, we stood, but as Prisoners enlarged; that was all: But, still we were as strangers, no part, nor portion in God, or his kingdom: nor, no reason, we should hope for any. He now goeth one step further, which is the highest and furthest step of all. For further than it, He cannot go. That we might receive the Adoption, (that is) from the estate of Prisoners condemned, be translated into the estate of Children Adopted. Of Adopted: for, of natural, we could not: That is His peculiar alone, and He therein only abou● us, but else, fully to the joint fruition, of all that He hath, which is fully as much, as we could desire. And this is our Fieri out of His Factum ex muliere. We made the Sons of God, as He the Son of man; 2. Pet. 1.4. We made partakers of his divine ● as He of our human nature. To purchase our pardon, to free us from death, and the laws sentence, this seemed a small thing to Him: 2 Sam. 7.19. ye● this is Lex hominis. Man's goodness goeth no farther; and gracious is the Prince, that dot● but so much. For who ever heard of a condemned man, Adopted afterward; or that thought i● not enough and enough, if He did but scape● with his life? So far then to exalt his bounty, to that fullness; as pardon, and Adopt both, Non est lex hominis haec. No such measure among men, Zelus Domini Exercituum, The zeal of the Lord of Hosts, was to perform this: Es. 9. 7● The fullness of the Godhead, dwelled in Him, that brought this to pass. For (to speak of adopting:) We see it daily; No father adopts, unless He be orb, have no child; or i● He have one, for some deep dislike, have cast him of. Heb. 1. 3● But God had a Son, The brightness of his Glory; The true character of his Substance: Mat. 17.5. and no displeasure there was; No, In quo complacitum est, In whom He was absolutely well pleased: yet, would He by adoption, for all that, Heb. ●. 10. bring many Sons to Glory. Is not this full on his part? We see again, no Heir will endure to hear of Adoption, nay, nor divide his Inheritance, no not with his natural Brethren. Then, that the Heir of all things, Heb. 1.2. should admit joint Heirs to the Kingdom he was borne to; Rom. 8.17. and that admit them, not out of such, as were near him, but from such as were strangers, yea such as had been condemned men under the Law, Is not this full on his part? To purchase us, and to purchase for us, both at once? And not to do this for us alone but to assure it to us: For, as his Father, in this verse, sends Him: So, in the next verse, He sends the Spirit of his Son, to give us sei●in of this our Adoption: whereby we now call him, the jews Abba, the Gentiles Pa●ter, as Children all, and He our Father, which is the privilege of the Adoption, we hee● receive. And now, are we come to the fullness indeed For this Adoption, is the fullness of our optio●● We cannot extend; we our wish: or He 〈◊〉 love and goodness any further. For, what can w● ask, or He give more, seeing in giving this, 〈◊〉 giveth all He is worth? By this time, it is 〈◊〉 Sea. Ezek. 47.3, 4, 5. All the Banks are filled. It is now, as E●●●kiels waters, that he saw flow, from under 〈◊〉 threshold of the Temple ● that took him to 〈◊〉 ankles first, then to the knees, after to 〈◊〉 loins, at last, so high risen, there was no mo●● passage. 1. From the fullness of his Compassion, 〈◊〉 sent to release us: 2. from the fullness of 〈◊〉 love, He sent his Son: 3. In the fullness 〈◊〉 Humility, He sent him made: 4. Made 〈◊〉 Woman, to make a full union with our nature● Made under the Law, to make the union yet more perfectly full with our sinful condition: 6. That we might obtain a full deliverance, from all Evil, by being redeemed: 7. and a full estate, of all the joy and Glory of his heavenly inheritance, by being adopted. So, there is fullness, of all hands. And so much, for the fullness of the Benefit, we receive. Now, for the fullness of the duty, we are to perform this day. For, in the fullness of time, all things are to be full. Plenitudo temporis, tempus plenitudinis. And, seeing God hath suffered us to live, to see the year run about, to this plenitudo temporis: if it be so, on God's part; meet also, it be so on Ours: and that we, be not empty, in thi● fullness of time. It is not fit, if He be at the brink, that we be at the bottom. But as we be willing, to yield Him of ours again; of our duty (I mean:) that it, to him, in a measure, and proportion be like full; as his Bounty, hath ●eene full above measure, toward us. That so from us. & on our parts, it may be plenitudo temporis, or tempus plenitudinis, the fullness of time, or time of fullness, choose you whether. 1. And, a time of fullness it willbe, (I know) in a sense: of fullness of Bread, of fullness of bravery, of fullness of sport, and pastime: and this it may be. And it hath been ever, a joyful time in appearance, for it should be so: with the joy (saith Esay a verse or two before, Puer natus est nobis, unto us a Child is borne) that men rejoice with, in harvest. Esa. 9.3. Not to go from our Text here, with the joy of men that are come out of prison, have scaped the Law, with the joy of men, that hau● got the reversion, of a goodly heritage. Only, tha● we forget not the principal, that this outwa●● joy, eat not up, evacuate not our spiritual io● ● proper to the Feast: that we have in mind, 〈◊〉 the midst of our mirth, the cause of it, Christ● sending, and the benefits that come thereby And, it shall be a good sign unto us, if we c●● thus rejoice, if this our joy can be full, if we ca● make a spiritual blessing, the object of o●● mirth. Psal. 89.15. Beatus populus, qui scit iubilationem. Blessed is the people, that can rejoice on this manner. And, after our joyfulness, or fullness of joy, o● fullness of thanks, or thankfulness, is to ensue for, with that fullness, we are to celebrate it likewise. Our minds first, and then our mouths, t● be filled with blessing, and praise, and thanks t● Him that hath made our times, not to fall into those empty ages of the world, but to fall within this fullness of time, Luk. 10.24. which so many Kings and Prophets desired to have lived in, but ●ell short of; And lived then, when the times were full of shadows, and promises, and nothing else. How instantly they longed, to have held such a Feast, Psal 144.5. to have kept a Christmas, it is evident, by David's Inclina caelos, Esa. 64 1. by Esays utinam disrumpas Caelos, Bow the Heavens, and Break the Heavens: How much (I say) they longed for it: and therefore, that we make not light account of it. To render our thanks then, and to remember to do it fully, To forget none: To Him that was sent, and to Him, that Sent; Sent his Son, in this; the Spirit of his Son, in the next verse. To begin wi●h Osculamini filium, Psal. 2.12. it is the first duty enjoined us this day, to kiss the Babe new borne, that when his Father would send Him, Psal. 40.7. said, Ecce venio, so readily: and when he would make Him, was content with Corpus aptasti mihi, to have a body made him, meet for him to suffer in: who willingly yielded to be our Shilo; Gen. 49.10 to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here; yea to be not only Christ, but an Apostle for us, Heb. 3.1. even ●he Apostle of our profession. And not to Him that was sent and made alone: but, to the Father that sent Him, and to the Holy Ghost that made Him, (as by whom He was conceived.) To the Father, for his mission; The Son, for his Redemption; the Holy Ghost, for his Adoption; For by him it is wrought He that made Him the Son of man, doth likewise regenerate us, to the state of the sons 〈◊〉 God. And this for our thankfulness. 3 And, to these two, (to make the measure full) to join, the fullness of duty, even whatsoever dutiful minded persons, may yield 〈◊〉 a bountiful minded, & a bountiful handed Benefactor. And with this to begin, to consecrated this first day of this fullness of time: even wi●● our service to Him at the full; which, is then● the full, when no part is missing: when all o● duties, of preaching, and praying, of Hymns, 〈◊〉 offering, of Sacrament, and all, meet together. N●● fullness there is of our Liturgy, or public solemn service, without the Sacrament. Som● part; yea, the chief part is wanting, if that 〈◊〉 wanting. But our thanks are surely not full, without the Holy Eucharist, which is by interpre●●●tion, Thanksgiving itself. Psal. 116.12.13. Fully we cannot say Quid retribuam Domino? but we must answers Calicem salutaris accipiam, we will take the cup of salvation, and with it in our hands give thanks to Him; render Him our true Eucharist, or ●eall Thanksgiving indeed. In which cup is the blood, not only of our redemption of the Covenant, that freeth us from the Law, and maketh the Destroyer pass over us: Mat. 26.28. but of our Adoption of the new Testament also, which entitles us, and conveys unto us (Testament-wise, or by way of Legacy) the estate we have in the joy and bliss of his heavenly kingdom, whereto we are adopted. We are then made partakers of Him, and with Him of both these His benefits. We there are made to drink of the Spirit, 1. Cor. 12.13. by which we are sealed, Ephe. 4.30. to the day of our redemption, and adoption both. So that, our freeing from under the law, our investiture into our new adopted state, are not fully consummate without it. And what? Shall this be all? No, when this is done, there is allowance of 12. days more, for this fullness of time: that, we shrink not up our duty then into this day alone, but in the rest also remember, to redeem some part of the day, to adopt some hour at the least, to bethink ourselves of the duty, the time calleth to us for: that so, we have not jobs dies vacuos, no day quite empty in this fullness of time. Hereof assuring ourselves, that what we do in this fullness of time, will have full acceptance at His hands. It is the time of his birth, which is ever a time as accepted, 2. Cor. 6.2. so of accepting, wherein, what i● done, will be acceptably taken to the full: fully accepted, and fully rewarded by Him, of whose fullness we all receive: joh. 1.16. with this condition, of grace for grace, ever one grace for an other. And so, growing from grace to grace, finally from this fullness, we shall come to be partakers of another yet behind, to which we aspire. For all this, is but the fullness of time ● but that, the fullness of eternity, when time shall be runn● out, Apo. 10.6. and his glass empty, Et tempus non erit amplius; which is, at His next sending. For y●● once more shall God send him, and He come again. At which coming, we shall then indeed receive the fullness of our redemption, not from the Law (that we have already) bu● from Corruption, to which our bodies are ye● subject; and receive the full fruition of the Inheritance, whereto we are here but adopted. And then it will be perfect, complete, absolute fullness indeed, when we shall all be filled with the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Ephe. 1.23. For, so shall a●● be when nothing shall be wanting in any: for God shall be all, 1. Cor. 15.28. in all. Not as here He is, something, and but something in every one; but then omnia in omnibus. And then the measure shall be so full, as it cannot enter into us, we cannot hold it: Mat. 25.21. we must enter into it; Intra in gaudium Domini tui. To this we aspire, and to this in the fullness appointed of every one of our times, Almighty God bring us, by Him, and for His sake, that in this fullness of time, was sent to work it for us, in his person: and work it in us, by the operation of his blessed Spirit. To whom etc.